“I’m not going to make any statement about that until [Wednesday],” Frank said yesterday when asked if Collins would be in the starting lineup against Milwaukee in the season-opener at the Meadowlands.

Collins, the defensive hub of the front line, has been rehabbing his surgically repaired right knee through most of preseason.

“I’m ready to play,” said Collins, who then was asked about starting. “I don’t know. Ask Coach.”

*

The Bucks opened in Philadelphia last night. Starting the season on a back-to-back? “Schedule suicide,” Buck Joe Smith said.

Frank said he was anxious to watch that game; the preseason wasn’t much help in judging the Bucks.

“It’s been a little bit hard because Joe Smith and Jiri Welsch have been injured,” Frank said. “The kid [Ersan] Ilyasova, has been injured a little bit. They make the trade for Jamaal Magloire, but Michael Redd has been their leading scorer. T.J. Ford looks completely healthy, quicker than a speeding bullet. Bobby Simmons is a very good addition.

“Now they have depth at bigs. Dan Gadzuric, and Smith, Magloire and Andrew Bogut and Toni Kukoc, Ervin Johnson. I’m interested to watch them. Joe Smith, does he play? Welsch, does he play? Sometimes preseason you don’t know.”

*

Ben Handlogten, one of the three Nets on the inactive list (with Antoine Wright and Linton Johnson III; the list can change up to one hour before tip-off allowing coaches matchup moves) was close to playing in Europe last season.

“I was about 12 hours from signing with a team in Europe and Utah called me up and asked for a 10-day [contract]. Hmmm, Europe or Utah, NBA,” Handlogten said.

So how did he wind up in New Jersey? “By plane,” he said.

*

The Nets are 12-17 all-time in NBA season-openers, 8-10 at home, 4-7 on the road. Overall in home openers, they are 15-14 . . . The 7:30 start tonight is an expected sellout.